Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

(Coming April 2013) (Sweet Trilogy #2)

Anna Whitt, the
daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never
do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such
a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon
whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means
embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her
school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the
while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart
and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels
surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of
Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them
hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms
Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained
without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues
between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the
ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

I fell in love with the first book when we didn't know for sure if the series would continue. And now, I can't wait for this second one! I love Anna and the great emotions that Wendy had in Sweet Evil and am so excited to see what's going to happen in Sweet Peril *squee*

When I first started reading this, I didn't realize that it was a part of a trilogy, or the last one, but that was okay. I could still keep up and things were explained enough that I knew what was going on.

Princess Petunia is the youngest of King Gregor's twelve daughters and she finds herself on a trip to visit a friend, welcoming the change.

But her journey doesn't go as expected when her carriage is stopped by some wolves. Wolves who just so happen to have two legs and open her eyes to an injustice she'd never known. As her journey continues, Petunia discovers things she thought that she and her sisters had laid to rest.

Though I came in a little late, I found that for the most part I could figure out what was going on. Petunia's story for the most part was linked with one of the wolves, a handsome boy named Oliver, who robbed royal carriages, including hers.

But the big part was what's happened in the previous two books. The girls, forced to dance each night for years in a magical kingdom, were being forced to marry the princes and king of Under Stone. Promises had been made and magic was being expended to get them there.

With the help of Oliver, the princess husbands, and the princesses themselves, they have to figure out a way to stop their captors. And it's a nonstop adventure to figure out if they'll be able to do it in time. This was a fun, sweet story that I really enjoyed and I think others will too (especially if they read the rest of the series...)

I read the first book in this series last year and was definitely intrigued, but after hearing my sisters take and reading this one for myself, I completely fell in love with this series!

Now the Elisa is Queen, she is under even more scrutiny to get things just right. Especially since she is only seventeen. There are also very few she feel she can trust: Hector, her royal guard, and her companions from her adventures previously.

On a new adventure, Elisa has to discover some of the secrets of her Godstone and figure out a way to defeat her enemy as Queen. Danger, romance, and new powers await Elisa on her quest for answers.

Some people have said that they usually find sequels to be a little disappointing, but I can say that wasn't the case with this one! Rae Carson did a phenomenal job of bringing this world to life and showing Elisa growth. There was just something more to it that drew me in and I hated to put it down, or to even reach the end.

Elisa not only had to begin seeing herself in a different light after losing all of the wait that she did in The Girl of Fire and Thorns, but she also had to begin seeing herself as Queen. She wanted to do right by her people, but not let those in her council try to steal the crown from. Her journey to discover who she was just as Queen was wonderful to see.

But the best part was her discovery of the power her Godstone could hold and want it meant for her to defeat her enemies. She'd only had a vague idea of the potential and now there's a fabulous setup for the last book, The Bitter Kingdom. Her Godstone is a big part of who she is and why she's chosen to do the things that she is, but it's also only part of who she is and the growth she has yet to make.

My sister and I spent quite a bit of time talking about this particular book and it was fun to get her take on it. But now we have to wait for the last book, which is exciting and sad. I will hate to see this series come to an end, but am excited to find out just what Rae has in store for us!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

(The Violet Eden Chapters #3) (Coming March 2013)

Once again Violet Eden faces an impossible choice ... and the consequences are unimaginable.

Violet has come to terms with the fact that being part angel, part human, means her life will never be as it was.

Now
Violet has something Phoenix - the exiled angel who betrayed her - will
do anything for, and she has no intention of letting it fall into his
hands. The only problem is that he has something she needs too.

Not
afraid to raise the stakes, Phoenix seemingly holds all the power,
always one step ahead. And when he puts the final pieces of the prophecy
together, it doesn't take him long to realise exactly who he needs in
order to open the gates of Hell.

With the help of surprising new
allies, ancient prophecies are deciphered, a destination set and, after a
shattering confrontation with her father, Violet leaves for the islands
of Greece without knowing if she will have a home to return to...

Not only is this cover gorgeous (like all of the U.S. covers so far), but I also can't wait to find out what happens next! Jessica does a fabulous job of hooking her readers and I have been on the edge of my seat since September waiting for more.

The description is what first drew me in to want to read this, and Kresley did not disappoint with such an interesting premise to her young adult debut.

Evie had the perfect life in her small hometown, at least until she starts having horrifying hallucinations. All she wants to do is put them behind her finish out her senior year, and that's exactly what she's going to do, until her hallucinations come true.

Jackson Deveaux, the new "bad boy" in town, drives her crazy and is the one guy who can keep her safe. As he helps Evie on her search for answers, she discovers there's more happening than she'd ever thought. An ancient prophecy and battle that other teens like her have to face. Who is on the right side?

One of the things that I loved was that this was set in Louisiana and the male lead was a true Cajun boy. It made my day to actually see his true "Cajun speak" after hearing it from my parents and relatives in passing. That really endeared me to him and this story.

I also loved Kresley's take on the tarot cards and how we see them play out with a handful of the characters. If you haven't read it, then I don't want to give anything away, I'll just say that it's definitely set up for more to happen and I'm interested to see how it all plays out.

After the ending, it'll be interesting to see how things progress in the next book. I'm not sure if the whole series will be from Evie's point of view, but I hope that it will because I want to see how she grows and what happens with her and Jackson. Throughout the book they battled each other and assumed that the other had ulterior motives, so I'm crossing my fingers that we'll get to how they change and learn more for the overall story.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Four months have passed since Kira left home to join Julian’s Jacker Freedom Alliance, but the hole in her heart still whistles empty where her boyfriend Raf used to be. She fills it with weapons training, JFA patrols, and an obsessive hunt for FBI agent Kestrel, ignoring Julian’s worries about her safety and repeated attempts to recruit her for his revolutionary chat-casts. When anti-jacker politician Vellus surrounds Jackertown with the National Guard, Kira discovers there’s more to Julian’s concerns than she knew, but she’s forced to take on a mission that neither want and that might be her last: assassinating Senator Vellus before he can snuff out Julian’s revolution and the jackers she’s come to love.

“Quinn paints a picture of a not-too-distant America where politicians inflame the hatred of one section of the populace for another—all for their own gain—and you worry that her world is not so far off from our own.”

— Dianne Salerni, author of We Hear the Dead, The Caged Graves, and the forthcoming The Eighth Day

"Free Souls starts with a bang and doesn't let up. Like a mash-up of all your favorite science-fiction adventures from Star Wars to The Legend of Korra, it blends nonstop action, nail-biting escapes, and great romance. I absolutely loved it! A great series conclusion—a must-read."

— Leigh Talbert Moore, author of Rouge and The Truth About Faking

“Susan did it again. Free Souls was WOW! I expected Kira to step up to her role as heroine but not like this. Surprises kept coming until the very end which tied up more loose ends than I knew existed. Warning: Don't start reading until you have time to finish. I didn't want to put Free Souls down for a second. It's that kind of book.”

— Sher A. Hart, Goodreads Review

Interview
Susan's over at Amy Saunder's blog today (12.14.12), answering questions about how she came up with the mages' abilities, what kind of mage she would be, and all about her future works.

Free Souls by Susan Kaye Quinn

(Book Three of the Mindjack Trilogy)Now Available!

When your mind is a weapon, freedom comes at a price.

Four months have passed since Kira left home to join Julian’s Jacker Freedom Alliance, but the hole in her heart still whistles empty where her boyfriend Raf used to be. She fills it with weapons training, JFA patrols, and an obsessive hunt for FBI agent Kestrel, ignoring Julian’s worries about her safety and repeated attempts to recruit her for his revolutionary chat-casts. When anti-jacker politician Vellus surrounds Jackertown with the National Guard, Kira discovers there’s more to Julian’s concerns than she knew, but she’s forced to take on a mission that neither want and that might be her last: assassinating Senator Vellus before he can snuff out Julian’s revolution and the jackers she’s come to love.

“Quinn paints a picture of a not-too-distant America where politicians inflame the hatred of one section of the populace for another—all for their own gain—and you worry that her world is not so far off from our own.”

— Dianne Salerni, author of We Hear the Dead, The Caged Graves, and the forthcoming The Eighth Day

"Free Souls starts with a bang and doesn't let up. Like a mash-up of all your favorite science-fiction adventures from Star Wars to The Legend of Korra, it blends nonstop action, nail-biting escapes, and great romance. I absolutely loved it! A great series conclusion—a must-read."

— Leigh Talbert Moore, author of Rouge and The Truth About Faking

“Susan did it again. Free Souls was WOW! I expected Kira to step up to her role as heroine but not like this. Surprises kept coming until the very end which tied up more loose ends than I knew existed. Warning: Don't start reading until you have time to finish. I didn't want to put Free Souls down for a second. It's that kind of book.”

— Sher A. Hart, Goodreads Review

Interview
Susan's over at Amy Saunder's blog today (12.14.12), answering questions about how she came up with the mages' abilities, what kind of mage she would be, and all about her future works.
Digital Box Set
Since Free Souls is out, there is now a Digital Box Set of the Mindjack Trilogy for those of you who want the whole series!

Mindjack Origins Collection
Want more Julian? Wondering how Sasha's ability really works? Looking for EXCLUSIVE DELETED SCENES from Free Souls? This collection of novellas, scenes, and other goodies is for those craving a bit more of the characters and drama of the Mindjack series.

Includes:Mindjack NovellasMind Games (Raf's story)The Handler (Julian's story)The Scribe (Sasha's story)TWO EXCLUSIVE DELETED SCENES from Free Souls (published nowhere else!)PLUSMindjack flash fiction, an (imaginary) conversation between Raf and Julian, and other goodies for readers who want just a little bit more of Kira, Julian, Raf, and the Mindjack crew.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

(Coming March 2013)

Seventeen-year-old Vane
Weston has no idea how he survived the category five tornado that
killed his parents. And he has no idea if the beautiful, dark-haired
girl who’s swept through his dreams every night since the storm is real.
But he hopes she is.

Seventeen-year-old Audra is a sylph, an air
elemental. She walks on the wind, can translate its alluring songs, and
can even coax it into a weapon with a simple string of commands. She’s
also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect Vane at
all costs. Even if it means sacrificing her own life.

When a
hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of
their families, Audra’s forced to help Vane remember who he is. He has a
power to claim—the secret language of the West Wind, which only he can
understand. But unlocking his heritage will also unlock the memory Audra
needs him to forget. And their greatest danger is not the warriors
coming to destroy them—but the forbidden romance that’s grown between
them.

I don't know what it is, but this one just sounds amazing! I really love the elemental concept and I'm definitely interested to see how this one will go.

Book two in the heart-stopping new series by Melissa West. The follow-up to the acclaimed Gravity, Hover is another thrilling dystopian romance and is perfect for fans of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games,Veronica Roth's Divergent, and Marie Lu's Legend.

I fell in love with Laura's writing after reading the first in her Timeless series, Shadow of the Sun, and she hasn't disappointed me yet. Each book just keeps getting better and better.

With the Empyrean Guard at full force, Gabriella needs all of the help she can get to keep her angels safe. Even with the Fallen, it just might not be enough.

As Gabriella struggles to find the right solution, lines will be crossed that shouldn't and lives will hang in the balance, human and angel. Will she find the answer that they need to save the angels before its too late?

Gabriella is a really fun character to read. While she's this child genius that's supposed to be really awkward around people, she's also just incredibly down to earth. I loved the fact that in this book, particularly, Gabriella was really snarky and sarcastic in spite of all the difficult things she was facing. It really made her character seem realistic and even more likeable.

Plus, Gabriella is also joined by some pretty amazing guys throughout her journey. From Joseph, the hilarious and awesome FBI agent, to Andrew, an angel and Halo, to Ehno and Patrick, other angels, there are a little bit of everything from them. And we get to learn a little bit more about them throughout the series, but especially in Fallen Legion. Who wouldn't want to be surrounded be these guys all the time?

Laura is one of those writer's that is just amazing and world building. I have absolutely no idea how she is able to keep up with it all with each book, but she does and even sometimes manages to add in more. The Timeless world with all of the different angel factions and history is just incredibly in depth and thought out, which really adds a different layer to the series.

So much happens in this fourth installment, I can only imagine what will happen in the final book, Halo of the Sun. I don't want to give anything away, but suffice it to say you better brace yourself with this latest one. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you won't want it to end. And then you can join me as I try to patiently twiddle my thumbs as we wait for the conclusion.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

(Coming December 2012)

In a land where magic
has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest
is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power—brutally transforming
their subjects’ lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and
battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:

Cleo:
A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous
journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.

Jonas:
Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of
oppression that have kept his country impoverished—and finds himself the
leader of a people’s revolution centuries in the making.

Lucia: A
girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her
past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Magnus:
Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to
realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...

The only outcome that’s certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

This just sounds awesome! I love the cover and how dark and mysterious it looks, leaving you to wonder just what's in store. And the description gives you just enough to want to know more as well. I definitely can't wait to get my hands on this one!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

(Coming May 2013)

Your heart beats only with their permission.

Everything
changed on The Day. The day the windows shattered. The day the power
stopped. The day Dol's family dropped dead. The day Earth lost a war it
didn't know it was fighting.

Since then, Dol has lived a simple
life in the countryside -- safe from the shadow of the Icon and its
terrifying power. Hiding from the one truth she can't avoid.

She's different. She survived. Why?

When
Dol and her best friend, Ro, are captured and taken to the Embassy, off
the coast of the sprawling metropolis once known as the City of Angels,
they find only more questions. While Ro and fellow hostage Tima rage
against their captors, Dol finds herself drawn to Lucas, the
Ambassador's privileged son. But the four teens are more alike than they
might think, and the timing of their meeting isn't a coincidence. It's a
conspiracy.

Within the Icon's reach, Dol, Ro, Tima, and Lucas
discover that their uncontrollable emotions -- which they've always
thought to be their greatest weaknesses -- may actually be their
greatest strengths.

Bestselling author Margaret Stohl delivers
the first book in a heart-pounding series set in a haunting new world
where four teens must piece together the mysteries of their pasts -- in
order to save the future.

After having the chance to read the Caster Chronicles books by both her and Kami, I'm really excited to see their solo work. And this one sounds amazing! So different from their southern gothic and like an exciting new series to sink into.What are you waiting for?

Once Upon a Second Chance is Marian Vere's debut novel and an adorable one at that. I couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end. Just hoping there would be a little bit more.

Life for Julia Basham isn't what it once was. She goes to work, spends time with her best friend and sister, and maybe goes out on the occasional date. No fun or risks. And no fairytails.

At least until Nicholas Kerkley comes back into the picture. Her once Prince Charming is the new client for her financial planning team and Julia is thrust back into his world. Her dreams of a happily ever after were crushed, but with Nick suddenly back in her life, Julia may just have to take matters into her own hands.

From the get go Julia was a fun character with just enough wit and charm to make her enjoyable. She got herself into some pretty crazy situations and always tried to find her way out. I loved that even though she was a girl who believed in fairytales and happily ever afters it didn't make her weak or any less capable of taking charge.

Marian gives her readers the perfect balance of humor and romance, never making things too serious or over dramatic. Though there were some upsetting situations, they weren't the basis of the story and didn't completely take it over.

Overall, I enjoyed this sweet romance and wish that there had been much more so it wouldn't have ended. Julia and Nick were adorable and had to find their way back to one another, through misunderstandings and heartbreak. Maybe someday we can get more from these two crazy kids...

AND... if you would like to own a copy of this yourself then checkout the giveaways from the author and the publisher below.